Flooding is one of the most serious climate-related hazards. It affects around 250 million people each year, causing more economic and human losses than any other kind of natural hazard. And by 2060 it’s predicted that more than 1 billion people are likely to be living in cities in danger of catastrophic flood events.
As news emerges that the Paris climate agreement could be under threat, the need for new ideas to help vulnerable communities become more resilient to flooding has never been more urgent.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to building resilience. But innovation is proving to be one of the keys to success. From enhancing natural and man-made infrastructure to waterproofing crops, there are countless different examples of resilience in action across the globe.
In this DevExplains video, we break down what flood resilience is, why it matters, and explore some truly innovative examples of new solutions and partnerships that could help.
Take a look at Global Resilience Partnership’s Water Window finalists here. What other innovations could help communities become more resilient? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
#WaterWindow is an online conversation to amplify the discussion on flood resilience. Devex, together with its partners the Global Resilience Partnership and Zurich Insurance Group, aims to shine a light on innovative solutions to tackle the issues faced by communities worldwide. Join us.
About the authors
Naomi Mihara
Naomi Mihara is a video journalist for Devex, based in Barcelona. She has a background in journalism and international development, having previously worked as an assistant correspondent for Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper and as a communications officer for the International Organization for Migration in Southeast Asia. She holds a master's degree in multimedia journalism from Bournemouth University.
Helen Morgan
Helen Morgan is an editorial associate at Devex. She has a background in human rights, radio and journalism, and has written for a variety of international publications while living and working in Buenos Aires, New York and Shanghai. She is now based in Barcelona and supports editorial content on campaigns and media partnerships at Devex. She is currently studying a master's degree in contemporary migration.
Carine Umuhumuza@CarineUmu
Carine Umuhumuza is the Associate Director of Communications at Devex. She has launched over a dozen major campaigns in partnership with leading communicators from a range of development agencies, major corporations, NGOs, and social enterprises. Her passion for connecting people and creating impact through stories is homegrown, inherited from her father — a journalist at one of the leading newspapers in Rwanda. Carine got her journalism and storytelling chops at Syracuse University's Newhouse School and moved to D.C. to start her career in social media and digital strategy. Starting her career at the cusp of the social media boom, Carine has a digital-first approach for storytelling and content curation. As the resident social media guru, she's often an early adopter of new tools and techniques for storytelling, mastering them and teaching others how to use them too.